First Time.

Today, for the first time, I told someone that I want to get my Masters in Social Work to work with Adoption and Teen Mothers- and they told me well done. She told me how incredible that is. How emotionally challenging yet rewarding it will be. With a smile on her face she encouraged me.

The troubling part was, she is a complete stranger. My friends Grandmother. She is visiting them this weekend, and while they were out, they decided to stop by and introduce us.

I can't tell you how many times I have told people about what I want to do. About what God has called me to. And how passionate I am about it. And how many times they've changed the subject. Told me I should do something that makes more money. Told me it is "hard" and "not that fun". There have been maybe, maybe a handful that recognize how important this is to me. Maybe a few have understood my love, my grief, and my desire to help these young women. Many make jokes about the fact that maybe I just watch baby shows, or teen mom because I want to have a baby myself. Many mock my passion for new life. For pregnancy, birth, and family.

But not today. Today I felt so affirmed. So appreciated. From a stranger.

Not that I am not confident in what God has called me to do, I am. And I . will. do. it.
But as sweet as it was, it was hard. Hard to think about all those who know me and love me that don't understand me. That hear possible financial hardship instead of my dreams. That see a salary number instead of my heart. That see worldly value instead of the heavenly gift that is valuing life, every life, especially the life of a newborn child. That see working in a painful and gut wrenching field such as Social Work, as less meaningful than something that is "fun" or "makes better money" or "could still help people with less work"...

And so it stung a bit as I thought of all the times that I had other reactions from friends and family. It stung a little more to think about all the times I have crushed someone else as they poured out their dreams. All the times I made suggestions instead of truly hearing someone. All the times I looked past the joy and passion of a few simple words "I want to do _______ with my life" and carried onto where I got my sweater...

Are you hearing what I am saying friends?

I thank God for that interaction today. Not because it gave me a momentary joy of feeling understood and valued, but it brought me to my knees before God of ALL the times I've done the exact same thing. Please God let me see through the noise and simply hear peoples hearts. Help me to see them through your eyes. The love them how they need to be loved in the moments I encounter them. God I pray that you give us a renewed sense of purpose. That we would stop seeing life in means of salary, retirement money, bank accounts, and "stability" and that we would see fragile, needy, longing hearts who desire to feel your comfort. That we would seek to serve YOU alone in our "career" (whatever that is anyways. our job is to spread your gospel. all else simply enables us to do so.)

Father. Help us to love. others. as. ourselves. Help us avoid taking the easy road. Give us a desire to FEEL above the desire to numb ourselves with vices. Lord pour out your spirit of mercy upon us to seek out those in need. The hungry, the lonely, the sick, the widow, the orphan Lord. For we were orphans Lord. Father reveal the gifts you've given us, give us strength to do and obey what you have called us to do. Let us choose love again and again and again, even as a stranger.